Device for recovering submerged logs.



J. M. MUNN. DEVICE FOR RECOVERING SUBMERGED LOGS.

APPLICATION men FEB. 13. 1915.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

"UNITED SA'IS PATENT FFIQE.

JAMES M. MUNN, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

DEVICE FOR IRECOVERING- SUBIVIERGED LOGS.

Application filed February 13, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. MUNN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at GrandBapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices for Recovering Submerged Logs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in devices for re covering logsthat are submerged and has particular application to a device which will automatically grip the logs when coming into contact therewith.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide a device of the class described which may be submerged in the water and held normally .in upright position and which may be drawn or dragged along so as to engage any logs lying upon the bed of the stream, river or the like and which will automatically grip the logs when coming into contact therewith so that the logs may be hoisted out of the water.

A further object of my invention is to improve and simplify the general construction of log recovering devices of the type set forth and to providea device wherein the component parts may be readily actuated to release the submerged log in the event of such log being stuck in the bed of the stream, river or the like and refuse to yield to the power applied to the recovering device.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing; Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a log recovering device constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a central sectional view through the device showing the swinging hook and swinging section of the vertical leg in closed positions, the open positions of the hook and swinging section of the leg being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. i is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of the in- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1%15.

Serial No. 8,039.

vention. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a still further modification.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, A designates a frame comprising a horizontal limb 1 formed of two plates 2 spaced apart in parallelism and secured to each other at one end in some suitable manner and a vertical leg 8 having the upper end thereof disposed between the plates 2 at the other end of the horizontal limb and secured to such plates. This vertical leg 3 comprises an upper stationary section l and a lower movable section 5. The lower end of the upper section 4 is bifurcated, while the upper end of the lower section 5 is formed with an upstanding tongue disposed within the bifurcated end of the section 4 and passed through the limbs of the bifurcated end of the section 4E and the tongue on the upper end of the section 5 is a pivot bolt 6 upon which the lower section swings. A spring 7 is secured to the upper section 4. of the leg 3 and acts upon the lower section 5 to hold the latter in alinement with the upper section, such spring permitting the section 5 of the leg to be swung outwardly relatively to the section 4, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, and restoring such section to normal position when the pull thereon is released. Iivoted between the plates 2 of the limb 1 adjacent to the end of such limb remote from the leg 3 is a lever 8 and connected with the upper end of the lever 8 is a cable 9 trained under a guide sheave 10 carried by the adjacent end of the horizontal limb and connected with suitable power mechanism located in the stern of a boat, or on a dock. Secured to the lower end of the lever 8 and projecting downwardly therefrom is a hook 11 designed to cooperate with the leg 8 in the use of the device and having the inner edge formed with gripping teeth 12 coacting with similar teeth 13 on the inner edge of the movable section 5 of the leg.

In the present instance, brace bars 14 are secured to the opposite sides of the stationary section of the leg and the adjacent plates 2 of the horizontal limb 1 and serve to reinforce the frame structure.

A spring 15 has one end secured to the upper end portion of the lever 8 and the opposite end fastened to one of the side plates of the horizontal limb 1 between the leg and the lever and acts to swing the up per end of the lever toward the leg and the lower end of the lever away from the leg, thereby holding the hook 11 normally in inactive position and away from the leg 3.

Suitably fastened to the horizontal limb of the frame A are buoying devices 16 designed to maintain the frame in upright position in the water and restore the frame to such position should such frame be accidentally moved out of proper position.

In practice, the frame A is placed in the water to be searched for submerged logs with the cable 9 connected to a Windlass on the dock or on the stern of a boat. The frame sinks by the weight of its metal parts and the buoy holds the frame right side up so that it finally rests on the bottom or bed on the lower end of the leg 4. Traction power being applied the device stands at an angle and is drawn along the bed of the river, stream or the like. As long as the path of the device is unobstructed, the lower end of the leg 3 drags over the bottom of the body of water while the spring 15 maintains the hook 11 in inactive position against the pulling action of the cable 9, such spring also acting, in effect, as a rigid connection between the cable and the frame. l/Vhen, however, the teeth 13 on the inner edge of the movable section 5 of the leg 3 strike into the submerged log, the movement of the device, as an entirety, is arrested and in the continued pulling of the cable 9 the lever S is swung about its pivotal connection with the limb 1 against the action of the spring 15 to throw the hook ll into engagement with the log so that the teeth 12 on the hook will penetrate the log and in the continued pulling of the cable the hook 11 and leg 4: cooperate to lift the log from the bottom of the body of water. Should the log be stuck in the bed of the body of water or refuse to move, for other reasons, under the pull of the cable 9, the operator pulls upon a cable 17 connected to the movable section 5 of the leg 3, thereby swinging the section 5 against the action of the spring 6 to a position to clear the log and when the section 5 is thus swung the device will pull away from the log under the pulling action of the cable 9.

In Fig. 4c of the drawings, I have shown a construction of log recovering device wherein the leg 3 is formed of a single section and in this form of the invention the upper end of the leg is pivoted directly to the rear end of the horizontal member 1 as at 17, While the lower rear ends of the braces la project beyond the leg and are interconnec'ted by means of a block 18 that bears against the rear edge of the leg. Interposed between the upper surface of the block 18 and the bottom edge of the limb 1 adjacent to the rear end of the latter is a coiled expansion spring 19 that acts to hold the limbs 14- in normal position and the leg 3 vertical. In the use of the device illustrated in Fig. at, the leg 8 engages the log as previously described with reference. to the preferred form of the invention and should the log refuse to move under the action of the device the leg 3 swings rearwardly about its pivotal connection 17 with the limb 1 thereby swinging the arms 14: upwardly against the action ofthe spring 19 so that the device may pass over the immovable log. When the leg 3 is relieved of the log, the spring 19 reacts and swings the arms 14 and leg 3 to normal position; If desired, a cutting tooth 20 may be secured to the lower end of the leg, as shown in Fig. 0, such tooth acting to cut in roots or other matter that may be in the path of the leg.

While I have herein shown and described the preferred form of my invention by way of illustration, I wish it to be understood that I do not. limit or confine myself to the precise details of construction herein described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made Within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

I claim:

1. In a device for recovering submerged logs, a frame comprising a horizontal member, a vertical leg secured to said horizontal member and depending therefrom and adapted to engage the log when the frame is drawn along the bed of the body of water, a hook pivoted to said frame and capable of swinging movement to engage the log, means holding said hooknormally against swinging movement, means connected to said hook for pulling said frame through the medium of said last-named means and designed to swing the hook against the action of said last-named means to engage the log when the movement of the frame is arrested by the log, said leg comprising an upper section,'and a lower section capable of swingingmovement' relatively to the upper section to release the log.

2. In a device for recovering submerged logs, a frame comprising a horizontal member, a vertical leg secured to said horizontal member and depending therefrom and adapted to engage the log when the frame is drawn along the bed of the body of water, a hook pivoted to said frame and capable of swinging movement to engage'the log,

means holding said hook normally against per section and a lower section capable of In testimony whereof I aflix my signature swinging movement relatively to the upper in presence of two witnesses.

section to release the log, and means holding JAMES M. MUNN. said lower section normally against swing- Witnesses:

5 ing movement and designed to restore the I. J. OILLEY,

same to normal position. H. H. JORDAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0. 

